Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 14:53:25 -0700 From: Barry Wick Subject: More History is South Dakota For Immediate Release South Dakota's first statewide organization for bisexuals, gays, lesbians and transgendered (b/g/l/t) persons , Free Americans Creating Equal Status of South Dakota, Inc. (FACES) again made history this week by becoming the first to open a community center, office and library on Main Street in Rapid City. The office is located in a newly renovated building called The Republican Block in downtown Rapid City on the eastern edge of the Black Hills. N.W.E. Management Rental Agent Lana Brekhus of Rapid City told the FACES Board of Directors the building was named after an historic newspaper, the Dakota Republican, that published in the same location during early days of the Dakota Territory. FACES President Barry Wick thinks it isn't at all odd that an organization for South Dakota's b/g/l/t communities should open in a building with the name Republican Block. "The building's ultimate owner is a generous, human rights conscious Republican named Stanford Adelstein. Yes, there are a few Republicans who are. Mr. Adelstein has known my family since before I was born and I'm 45 years old. His reasons for renting us the space are unknown. Mr. Adelstein is a South Dakota legend, a family man, and a devout man of God, and an astute businessman. We're grateful he rented us the space that had been briefly occupied by the recently re-elected, Republican Lieutenant Governor's campaign," said Wick. The windowless, 400 square foot space on the handicap accessible 2nd floor does triple overtime as the state's first gay library, a community center for the Black Hills gay community, and FACES offices. Nearly 800 books and over 1000 periodicals are in the collection at present. With a population of around 714,000 people, South Dakota b/g/l/t organizations have mostly operated out of homes as was the case for FACES which was incorporated on October 31, 1995. "The library grew too large," said Wick. The library is open on Tuesday nights from 7 PM until 10 PM and Saturday afternoons from 1:30 PM until 5 PM. The all-volunteer office staff is lead by FACES co-founder and President Barry Wick, Rapid City; Vice-President Linda Docherty, Rapid City; co-founder Clerk/Secretary Lawrence Novotny, Brookings; Treasurer Vince Kassube, Rapid City, and locals who will once again put out the state's first monthly for the b/g/l/t communities called FACES of South Dakota. Donations to FACES are tax deductible since it achieved its IRS 501c3 status in July of 1996. FACES memberships begin at $15 per year. FACES of South Dakota, Inc. was created in response to the 1995 South Dakota Legislature's attempt to ban same-sex marriage. They succeeded in a second try in 1996, but not without FACES opposition. FACES primary work is providing safe spaces for gays and lesbians, the newsletter, and library. -30- For more information contact Barry Wick at the numbers below. <<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>> Free Americans Creating Equal Status of South Dakota, Inc. (FACES) South Dakota Alternative Library 625 1/2 Main St Ste 3, Rapid City, SD 57701-2758 Phone 605-343-5577, FAX 605-394-8962 email: facessd@rapidnet.com; webpages: http://www.rapidnet.com/~facessd/ <<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>